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Posted 09 September 2010 - 09:11 PM

The Hate List by Jennifer Brown

I couldn't quite get on board with this book, although I enjoyed the new angle on the premise of a school shooting. The main character is the girlfriend of the shooter, and together they had made a list of people that picked on them that they "hated." Without her knowledge, he brings a gun to school to pick off people on that list. She intervenes and ends up getting shot herself. The rest of the book is about her returning to school and the way she is treated by the staff, students, and her own family. Some people regard her as a hero for stepping in and saving lives, while others are suspicious of her and expect more violence on her behalf. Also, it addresses her relationship with Nick pre - shooting, and gives us another side of the shooter than we expect to see. Plotwise, it was an interesting approach, but the supporting characters were fairly inconsistent. Her parents especially were slippery people that I couldn't get a grip on, and other characters important to the plot were not drawn realistically enough for me to relate to, and invest in. Another thing that tripped me up was the dialogue, which I felt was rather weak. Worth reading, but not as moving as I expected it to be after hearing all the good reviews.

"Establishing the accuracy of quotes found on the internet is extraordinarily difficult." - Jane Austen

As A.T.O'Connor: short stories in THE FALL and SUMMER'S EDGE. Fall 2013 YA novel WHISPERING MINDS.

Posted 11 September 2010 - 09:41 AM

This is one I've heard tons about, but haven't yet picked up. I have felt reluctant to do so, though it might be worth reading to see how the characters stack up with your review.

My current WIP has a phsycological impact and I don't want to underplay it by not having my supporting characters fleshed out--admittedly my biggest weakness. I always learn more by critiquing other's work than my own and I might have to read this book with an eye to that rather than strictly as entertainment.